Where to buy Aberdeen Angus weanlings in spring 2022?

n1st · 01-12-2021 1:51pm #1

I'll be looking of weanling bullocks in spring. I'm thinking Aberdeen Angus.

Do marts have dedicated sales ?

Do I have to go to a breeder?

kk.man · 01-12-2021 3:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220676/where-to-buy-aberdeen-angus-weanlings-in-spring-2022

I presume you don't want pedigree?

If you want AA cross, all the good diary regions (marts) will have an ample supply of them.

n1st · 01-12-2021 5:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118252013#Comment_118252013

What is the difference in price between pedigree and cross?

Do pedigree get bought and sold in private?

I've not seen many AA of any sort in the mart this winter.

kk.man · 01-12-2021 8:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118252474#Comment_118252474

There is a good different between either animal.

I don't know your mart but if you look up mart reports of Kilkenny, Thurles, kilmallock, cashel, castleisland they are many AA cattle mentioned.

jaginsligo · 01-12-2021 8:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220676/where-to-buy-aberdeen-angus-weanlings-in-spring-2022

Do people sell purebred bullocks, surely all the males remain bulls when their purebred

Finty Lemon · 01-12-2021 9:05pm

Cashel or Cahir marts usually have plenty of reasonable quality stock, Kilmallock too.

Will be interesting to see how demand plays out next year. I reckon a lot of part timers will cut numbers a bit due to fertilizer prices.

orchard farm · 01-12-2021 9:40pm

Plenty of suckler bred ones at organic marts ,good selection even for conventional farmers

JohnChadwick · 01-12-2021 11:06pm

How much would these AAX dairy bred weanlings be likely to cost?

JohnChadwick · 01-12-2021 11:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118253879#Comment_118253879

Will there be a deficit of suckler bred stock in the organic sector in the coming years, as more farmers exit suckling?

Cavanjack · 01-12-2021 11:13pm

Any Angus stores I’ve seen this back end have made crazy money. The bonuses are given away in their purchase price. Be better off with a growthy friesian imo.

farawaygrass · 01-12-2021 11:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118254451#Comment_118254451

You can get rid of the Angus quicker though with less meal. Maybe not for anymore profit but they’re not around as long

kk.man · 02-12-2021 9:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118254460#Comment_118254460

You would make a far better margin on a Fr, meal or not. Many runty AA about with shiny coats but its when they hang on the hook takes the awe out of them.

n1st · 02-12-2021 12:02pm

I'm hoping to buy some sort of AA bullock weanlings next February for 400 to 500 euro, is this plausible?

I'd hope to sell on November at 1200, of course there are many factors here.

Are there any AA crosses common place at marts and Galway or Roscommon?

zetor 4911 · 02-12-2021 12:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118256031#Comment_118256031

That would be a very good return. If you buy at 500 you would be doing very well to get 900 assuming trade remains strong.

minerleague · 02-12-2021 1:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118256031#Comment_118256031

I'd switch to that system ( 700hd profit, no winter costs ) let us know how it goes

jaginsligo · 02-12-2021 1:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118256331#Comment_118256331

Yeah, sounds deadly

blue5000 · 02-12-2021 1:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118256031#Comment_118256031

What weight do you think they'll be to make 1200?

n1st · 02-12-2021 6:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118256401#Comment_118256401

550 kg at 1200 avg. That's what I had this year but with Limousine and Charolais, some at 600kg.

Albert Johnson · 02-12-2021 7:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118258544#Comment_118258544

What weight and type do you envisage buying at circa €400-€500 that will make 550kg and €1200 in 7 odd months after? I'm not saying it can't be done but I'm interested as to how it will work.

n1st · 02-12-2021 7:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118258622#Comment_118258622

I'm not that interested in the margin actually. The Charolais did it this year but this was an exceptional year for beef prices. I've lots on the best of grass, them for almost 10 months and no feed.

I don't like Charolais as a breed.

Back to AA. Where can I get a 15 Fresian AA cross bull weanlings in the Roscommon Galway area next spring?

Albert Johnson · 02-12-2021 8:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118258787#Comment_118258787

The Charolais might have done it but you'll hardly buy the like at €500, vice versa the Angus at €500 will hardly do what the Charolais done this year.

To answer you're question I'd imagine Castlerea or Ballinasloe would be you're best bet. It would be no harm to keep an eye on donedeal either as you might hit on a batch to suit.

n1st · 02-12-2021 9:41pm

Do you trust donedeal for cattle purchase?

Albert Johnson · 02-12-2021 9:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118259800#Comment_118259800

I don't see any reason not to. Like all transactions you want to observe due diligence and go into the situation with you're eyes open but it's not exactly a minefield either. If the stock suit at an appropriate price and everything else is above board then it's as good an option as any imo.

n1st · 02-12-2021 9:51pm

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/angus-beef-from-a-friesian-dairy-herd-a-farmers-experience/

https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/archive/aberdeen-angus-proves-right-tool-for-out-wintering-dairy-stores/

Aberdeen Angus bull with Friesian

farawaygrass · 02-12-2021 10:04pm

bought Angus Weanlings last year and they wouldn’t be a million miles away from what @n1st Is suggesting. Bought around 550 and left a bit with 1150. The big thing there though was the price rise this year. If the factory price was 40c less they sell for €100 less. It’s hard carry Angus into big weights as they go fat so quick.

done deal is always a good spot to pick up them kind of cattle, and Dealing yards are often advertising them type

squinn2912 · 02-12-2021 10:31pm

Be very interesting to see how this goes. If they make €700 in 9 months that’s round €2.60 per day. Some of you on here like @Albert Johnson would be able to project what outgoings might amount to. I would’ve thought that if there wasn’t too much meal involved then £1 a day would be fair going.

zetor 4911 · 03-12-2021 8:41am

I must be missing some thing here as I buy aberdeen angus in spring around 300Kg costing €2.10/Kg, to buy at €450 they would probable be about 200 to 220kgs and to get them to 550Kgs would be some achievement before November.

Lime Tree Farm · 03-12-2021 9:14am

Sorry for interrupting the flow.

I wouldn't like to be herding that crowd in the background - count them. They would make a great Jigsaw puzzle

Albert Johnson · 03-12-2021 11:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260273#Comment_118260273

There's lots on here that would have a better handle on figures than myself, most of what I do is very much back of a cigarette packet type sums.

I personally think the OP's plans are a bit ambitious regarding purchase price and sale price considering the length of time they'll be on farm. That's not to say it can't be done but I would be very interested to see how it would be enacted. Provided that the weight gain was mostly off grass then you'd be working with both a low cost and low labour input. It's very hard to justify the work and expense of wintering cattle if you thought you could turnover €700 a head (granted that's before costs) from a summer grazing setup

n1st · 03-12-2021 11:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118262117#Comment_118262117

Probably not achievable with AAX but I like the look of AAX better than Charolais and I'm interested to see the temperament of the AAX.

I'm only a hobby farmer, I'm not pushing for big profits.

Any help on where to source the right AAX mentioned earlier posts appreciated.

DBK1 · 03-12-2021 12:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260043#Comment_118260043

Its good to get a nice return like that and while not a million miles away from what n1st is suggesting its still a long way off.

You purchased at €550 and sold at €1150 so a €600 gross margin

n1st is suggesting purchase at €400-€500 and sell at €1,200 so a €700-€800 gross margin, that's 16-33% more than you've achieved or you could average it at 25% more than you've achieved. In money terms for any business 25% extra profit for the same product is a massive achievement!

Also bear in mind this year has been the best year ever to try and achieve that. Weak prices in the spring coupled with strong prices in the Autumn/Winter. The animals you bought at 550 last spring will probably be €100-€150 more expensive this spring and no-one could yet predict what you will get for them this time next year.

minerleague · 03-12-2021 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118262187#Comment_118262187

The problem with summer grazing is trying to match growth with stocking rate if you're not cutting silage. need a good lot of smaller AA weanlings/ yearlings to keep on top of grass May to July. As growth slows ( and cattle get bigger ) you'll have to sell from late July on ( you'll have to buy most in feb / march to get value too before other grass buyers in April

squinn2912 · 03-12-2021 2:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118262117#Comment_118262117

I think you do yourself a disservice you’ve a keen mind for figues and a great eloquence to deliver your point.

I agree. That’s why I suggested that £1-£1.50 per day would be very good going (€1.20-€1.80). I was lucky enough with 2 heifers I bought to bull and they didn’t go in calf. Bought the end of January and sold in September. I think I got £380 and £340 on them. Their two comrades calved on well and good and reared two floggers of calves a bull and a heifer so those 4 did no harm either way. But with the former two more by accident than design. There was a thread on one time about bullocks over the winter and how to get a turn out of them and it was great reading. This is the same over summer so it would be interesting to see the workings out.

Albert Johnson · 03-12-2021 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118263317#Comment_118263317

To turn a profit off summer grazing is a skill in it's self. My concept of it is a low cost and low labour system that takes advantage of what the land has to offer without requiring huge investment either financial, labour or otherwise. Most of all you're defined by the grass growing period of the region unless you have access to sheds, fodder ect and the interest in accepting the associated costs and labour involved. In my mind you're main feedstuff is grass, concentrates are useful at certain times to boost performance but if you're running to them with meal every day then you've neither a low cost or low labour requirement.

Making a profit hinges on 2 main factors imo. Firstly you need to buy something at the right price, ascertaining what the right price is will vary from animal to animal and system to system. If there too dear the first day you're backing a loosing horse imo. Even with superb management and a little luck you're gambling to win you're own money back and if anything goes wrong there's a deficit straight away.

Secondly you need to sell a better class of animal than what you bought. Be it carrying a weanling to a store, a store to forward store/finished animal you need to add value. Too many lads buy stock at a premium in the springtime and give them a middling do over the summer. When sale time comes the stock are little ahead of where they were the previous spring only 6 months older and in a worse time of the year. Generally prices are higher in spring than autumn so you need to be getting extra kilos on the mart scales to make up the difference. Granted if those extra kilos are gotten mainly via a meal bag or bin its often a breakeven venture at best so that's where grassland and animal management comes into play.

farawaygrass · 03-12-2021 3:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118262569#Comment_118262569

Ya I won’t argue with any of that. Everything went the right way for that outcome. Even buying them I thought I was mad because the forecast for beef was so poor.

kk.man · 03-12-2021 4:32pm

The purchase price that n1 st wants to pay is 4 to 500 e that would leave these runners weight at 2 to 250 kgs. The difference is 300 kgs in weight in the autumn at 550kgs LW. Imo it would be an extraordinary achievement.

I have done 250 kgs but that was with ration and an almost dairy like paddock system. 3 days and 21 day rotation.

The trouble with aa these days is they don't have the bone structure and room to make those gains. Alot come from first calved heifers of the dairy herd.

I actually don't like these butty animals and cringe at the prices paid for them. I often wounder do they make a margin at all.

I've done AA from the suckler herd bought at 550 KGS. These have the bone structure developed and room.

Where to buy Aberdeen Angus weanlings in spring 2022?

Comments